Additive dream machines

By the late 70s, analogue synthesis had been pretty much dominant for over a decade. Aural explorers longed for something new: total control over sonic creation.

Or at least they thought that’s what they wanted. When such a technology was presented, it was largely rejected in favour of familiar analogue instruments or preset-packed digital devices.

Whereas subtractive synths start with a harmonically complex waveform and whittle it away with filters, an additive synth builds up complex sounds by piling on loads of simple waveforms. A full additive system offers individual pitch and amplitude envelopes for each sine wave. Complex, to say the least.

Still, that hasn’t prevented a few manufacturers from delving into the heady realm of additive synthesis. Spinning off from research by Bell Labs, Crumar offered the GDS system, of which only a few were sold. It was reimagined by Digital Keyboards Inc as the Synergy. Initially, the Synergy was a preset-only instrument, requiring said GDS to program it. However, an upgrade gave access to its many parameters using a Kaypro II computer – futuristic in 1982!

Despite offering a mere 32 partials, the Synergy was a capable machine in the hands of someone with the patience to program it. Wendy Carlos created a number of convincing orchestral sounds for the Synergy, and you can hear both the Synergy and the GDS system on her LP, Beauty In the Beast.

Japanese instrument maker Kawai is one of the few companies to attempt to put additive synths into mass production. Their K5 – released in 1987 – offered up to 126 harmonics per voice, and some interesting methods by which large numbers of them could be edited at once. A lovely-sounding machine that utterly failed to set the world alight.

The same applied in 1996 to their ambitious K5000 which offered more partials, more envelopes, more… everything. A fantastic source of atmospheric timbres, it was an inspiration for Camel Audio’s Cameleon 5000, the forebear to Apple’s Alchemy.